Protective and Therapeutic DNA Vaccination Against Allergic Diseases

DNA vacciness represent a novel approach for protective and therapeutic intervention against type I allergies. In contrast to classical subcutaneous immunotherapy, which relies on the injection of alum-adsorbed protein extracts, DNA vacciness do not suffer from side effects such as anaphylaxis or therapy-induced IgE antibodies. In animal models, DNA vacciness have been demonstrated to prevent TH2 sensitization or balance an existing TH2-mediated allergic immune response by induction of TH1 or regulatory T cells, rendering them promising candidates for prophylactic vaccination as well as therapy. In this chapter, we discuss methods relevant for evaluation of DNA expression vectors for targeting antigen to different cellular compartments for use as a vaccines in an asthma mouse model. Attaching signal sequences has proven to be a successful way to manipulate and boost the immune responses following DNA immunization and also creating hypoallergenic DNA vacciness.
Source: Springer protocols feed by Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: news